A long-delayed preliminary hearing began Tuesday for the former owner and three ex-employees of a defunct Anderson, Calif., RV dealership accused of bilking customers out of an estimated $300,000, according to the Redding, (Calif.) Record Searchlight

An investigator with the California Department of Motor Vehicles testified for most of the day before the long hearing into criminal charges against the owners and employees of R&R RV Sales was continued until Thursday

Once the hearing concludes, Shasta County Superior Court Judge Bradley Boeckman will decide whether there is enough evidence to warrant a criminal trial for the defendants.

With some of the alleged victims in the courtroom, Deputy District Attorney Erin Dervin spent much of the day questioning DMV investigator Tony Beatrici of Redding about each individual fraud count charged against the four defendants.

The R&R RV Sales dealership’s one-time owner, Robin Gail Moberg, 51, and the three former employees – Dwight Malcolm Gaylor, 33, of Anderson; Glenn Richard Hartley, 52 of Redding; and Staci Gaylor Rutledge, 34, of Cottonwood – are accused in the case. They’re charged with taking more than 80 trailers, fifth-wheels and RVs on consignment from customers, selling them and failing to pay the owners for the vehicles sold.

Mike and Lorraine Viscaino were among the many senior-citizen victims who attended the preliminary hearing Tuesday. The Viscainos lost $5,000 when they sold their trailer through the Anderson dealership in June 2007.

The investigation into the business was launched in October 2007 after customers started complaining. Arrest warrants were issued in early April.

Beatrici said the story was pretty much the same in each case.

He also said that he interviewed Rutledge, who worked at the business from May 2006 to October 2007, in January and that she claimed Moberg, who had property in Loleta in Humboldt County and Oak Run, often used the consigned vehicles for her own personal use.

She said Moberg sometimes moved the vehicles to her private property to hide them, Beatrici said. Rutledge also told him that she was told to lie to the consignors about the sale status of their vehicles, he testified.

“She said it happened several times and that’s why she wanted to be out of there,” Beatrici said.

Moberg and Gaylor are each free on $25,000 bond, while Rutledge and Hartley are out of jail on their own recognizance.

Shasta County, Calif., authorities have issued arrest warrants for former workers of an RV dealership in Anderson, Calif.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles began investigating the former owner and three employees at R&R RV Sales in Anderson after receiving complaints, according to Associated Press. It then turned its findings over to county law enforcement.

According to a complaint filed by county prosecutors, many victims were seniors who put vehicles up for sale but never received consignment checks after their RVs were sold.

The complaint lists the owner as 51-year-old Robin Moberg of Loleta. The employees listed are 33-year-old Dwight Gaylor of Anderson, 52-year-old Glenn Hartley of Redding and 34-year-old Staci Rutledge of Cottonwood.

It accuses them of fraud, embezzlement and criminal conspiracy for taking more than 80 vehicles on consignment and failing to pay back the owners.